The Community Technical Assistance Program (CTAP) provides professional planning assistance to communities across Montana in support of sound land use and development decisions, economic revitalization, and overall community resilience. Technical assistance is provided through workshops and trainings, direct assistance by phone or email, collaboration with local, state, and federal partners, the creation of model documents, and guidance on planning best practices.

CTAP staff include a land use attorney, professional planners, planning and outreach specialists, and licensed engineers who assist communities in everything from the development of long range plans to interpretation of statute to guidance on grant applications and review of technical documents. This assistance is provided at no cost to communities statewide.

The Montana Department of Commerce’s Office of Trade & International Relations helps Montana companies to compete at home and around the globe with key programs including:

• State Trade Expansion Program (STEP): grants for funding your international marketing activities
• Trade Show Assistance Program: grants for exhibiting at domestic trade shows
• Export Technical Assistance:work with our staff to get the one-on-one exporting assistance you need
• The Montana Forest Product Marketing & Exhibitor Assistance– Assists Montana forest product businesses to market and promote their products to new and existing domestic and international markets.

 

The Montana Historic Preservation Grant (MHPG) Program is a state-funded program created in 2019 as a result of Senate Bill 338, Sections 1 through 17. The MHPG Program is designed to support public or private entities with the preservation of historic sites, historical societies, or history museums through grant funding.

Eligible applicants can apply to complete projects or activities for the preservation of historic sites, historical societies, or history museums. Preservation activities include:

• • Internal or external “brick-and-mortar” improvements that will address infrastructure, building renovation, maintenance, or building code issues
  • Improvements that will enhance security, climate control, or fire protection; and
  • Projects with a total cost over $50,000 may use up to 10% of grant funding for planning and/or grant administration costs that are directly related to the preservation activities A. and B.

Historic sites will be considered eligible if one of the below criteria is met:

• • Structure or site is listed on National, State, or Local Historic Registry
  • Structure or site contributes to a historic district
  • A structure more than 50 years old and has documented significance to the history of a Montana community or region

The Multifamily Coal Trust Homes Program makes available $15 million of Coal Tax Trust Fund dollars to develop affordable rental homes by providing developers with low-interest rate loans. The program is a result of House Bill 16 that was passed during the 2019 legislative session. Multifamily Coal Trust loans can be used for projects such as new construction, acquisition and/or rehabilitation of existing multifamily rental homes, acquisition of land for multifamily rental homes and land trusts for rental and mobile or manufactured homes.

Eligible Borrowers, authorized by Montana law, may borrow to finance projects including but not limited to:

• Energy Retrofit Projects
• Real property purchase & improvements
• New and used equipment of all kinds
• New and used vehicles of all kinds
• Water, wastewater, and solid waste projects
• Preliminary engineering and grant writing work
• Interim financing for construction or cash-flow loans
• Rural and special improvement district projects
• Street maintenance district projects

The Montana Indian Language Program (MILP) demonstrates the State of Montana’s continued commitment to support efforts of Montana tribes to preserve and perpetuate Indian languages in the form of spoken, written, sung or signed language and to assist in the preservation and curricular goals of Indian education for all. The State of Montana recognizes Indian languages as vital to the identity of tribal nations and the state.

Activities may include:

• Language classes
• Language immersion camps
• Storytelling, songs
• Publication of literature
• Language programs, workshops, seminars, camps and other presentations in formal or informal settings

The MicroBusiness Finance Program (MBFP) administers funding for the certified MicroBusiness Development Corporations (MBDCs) located across Montana.

Qualified microbusinesses work directly with the MBDC, which:

• Provides loans up to $100,000 to qualified microbusinesses;
• Provides training and technical assistance to qualified microbusinesses; &
• Underwrites and services their microloan portfolios

The Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund (WP RLF) provides loans to businesses in the wood products industry to create or retain jobs, targeting areas where timber jobs are most threatened, particularly in counties with lumber mills and other related facilities.  WP RLF loans are available from two distinct programs: State Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund (State WP RLF) and Economic Development Administration Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund (EDA WP RLF).

The Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program’s goal is to accomplish large-scale restoration of private and publicly owned high-priority wildlife habitats through noxious weed management. Grant expenditures are limited to herbicides and additives, biological control agents, materials required for restoration seeding or prescribed grazing management, and associated treatment and installation services.

 

The Community Pond program enhances fishing opportunities in or near Montana communities by providing funds that may be used to construct or improve public fishing ponds.